Clippers @ Suns 4-13-16 (season finale)

[Mainstreet]

The Clippers play at the Suns in the final game of the season for both teams. It is slated to start at 7:30 p.m. Arizona time.

Unfortunately it figures to be a mostly meaningless game (like the Kings game) with the Clippers resting many of their key players.

Here are a couple of comments from ESPN.

Phoenix Suns hope for a positive end to the second-worst season in franchise history.

Though most of their starters expect to be rested, the visiting Clippers try to record a seventh consecutive victory Wednesday night against the Suns.

With little to play for in the regular-season finale, the likes of Paul, DeAndre Jordan and even Blake Griffin will be rested. Guard J.J. Redick almost certainly won't play after he suffered a bruised heel in the first half after trying his own franchise record with his 200th made 3-pointer.

"As a group we'll talk about it, but there will be several guys missing for sure," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. "Maybe even some coaches."

Suns fans will have a lot to focus upon in the off-season such as the coaching search, the recruitment of Bogdan Bogdanovic, the lottery, the draft and free agency.

http://espn.go.com/nba/preview?gameId=400829116

 

[FArting]

I will be at the game tonight.

 

[JCSunsfan]

The Clippers play at the Suns in the final game of the season for both teams. It is slated to start at 7:30 p.m. Arizona time.

Unfortunately it figures to be a mostly meaningless game (like the Kings game) with the Clippers resting many of their key players.

Here are a couple of comments from ESPN.





Suns fans will have a lot to focus upon in the off-season such as the coaching search, the recruitment of Bogdan Bogdanovic, the lottery, the draft and free agency.

http://espn.go.com/nba/preview?gameId=400829116

Lots and lots to talk about. With four picks in the draft, literally EVERYONE that could be drafted is in play. Plus, like you say, Bogdan, coaching search, and even free agency.

 

[Mainstreet]

Tyson Chandler will remain out but Archie Goodwin is expected to play.

Paul Coro ‏@paulcoro 2h2 hours ago

Tyson Chandler (concussion protocol) will not play in #SunsVsClippers tonight. He played 66 games this season. Archie Goodwin will play.

If Goodwin is healthy he can bring some excitement to the game. This was sorely lacking in the Suns loss to the Kings.

https://twitter.com/paulcoro

 

[sunsfan88]

https://twitter.com/DanWoikeSports/status/720328604245037056

Losing this game is crucial especially with it looking like the Nets may beat Toronto. We can at least split the ping pong balls with Boston.

I wish the Suns would just rest PJ Tucker too.

The Suns obsession with PJ Tucker since he came to Phoenix under the Lance Blanks regime has been pretty weird.

 

[AzStevenCal]

https://twitter.com/DanWoikeSports/status/720328604245037056

Losing this game is crucial especially with it looking like the Nets may beat Toronto. We can at least split the ping pong balls with Boston.

I wish the Suns would just rest PJ Tucker too.

The Suns obsession with PJ Tucker since he came to Phoenix under the Lance Blanks regime has been pretty weird.

Does sitting him make us better or worse? There are a lot of nights when you couldn't find a better choice to lead your team in a stirring rendition of We Aren't the Champions. Plus, for most of the season you couldn't find a better losing center than the two we have on our roster.

If you want to win, based on recent play I'd rank our most important players this way: Teletovic, Price, Chandler, Booker, Leuer, Goodwin, Tucker, Len, Jenkins, Budinger, Williams and none of them are world beaters. But IMO once you get past Chandler the order you'd rank a Suns player is pretty meaningless. The other team has a lot to do with whether we win or lose.

 

[Mainstreet]

https://twitter.com/DanWoikeSports/status/720328604245037056

Losing this game is crucial especially with it looking like the Nets may beat Toronto. We can at least split the ping pong balls with Boston.

I wish the Suns would just rest PJ Tucker too.

The Suns obsession with PJ Tucker since he came to Phoenix under the Lance Blanks regime has been pretty weird.

I wouldn't count on the Nets winning or the Suns sitting anyone other than Chandler.

Please, please please, let me be wrong.

Also the Suns are playing Goodwin after missing the Kings game with a sprained ankle.

 

[Mainstreet]

More information about the Clippers tonight.

Paul Coro ‏@paulcoro 1m1 minute ago

The Clips' top 5 scorers - Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, J.J. Redick, Jamal Crawford - didn't make the trip to #SunsVsClippers.

https://twitter.com/paulcoro

 

[Iceman]

Suns will win and it will screw up the draft. Its almost a guarantee!!

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Suns will win and it will screw up the draft. Its almost a guarantee!!

Won't matter because Brooklyn is about to lose anyways.

 

[sunsfan88]

Does sitting him make us better or worse? There are a lot of nights when you couldn't find a better choice to lead your team in a stirring rendition of We Aren't the Champions. Plus, for most of the season you couldn't find a better losing center than the two we have on our roster.

In the last 3-4 wins the Suns have had, Tucker's probably been one of the main reasons why.

Tucker picks and chooses which games to try and give effort in. He knows against bad teams he can stat pad rather than when he's playing the Warriors or Cavs or something.

 

[sunsfan88]

I wouldn't count on the Nets winning or the Suns sitting anyone other than Chandler.

Please, please please, let me be wrong.

Also the Suns are playing Goodwin after missing the Kings game with a sprained ankle.

Yea you were right.

 

[AzStevenCal]

In the last 3-4 wins the Suns have had, Tucker's probably been one of the main reasons why.

Tucker picks and chooses which games to try and give effort in. He knows against bad teams he can stat pad rather than when he's playing the Warriors or Cavs or something.

And he's played a pivotal role in most of our last 40 losses too.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Let's be honest here, the Suns weren't going to sit anyone even if Brooklyn had won. On the plus side since Brooklyn lost anyways we won't have to go through all the bickering that would have ensued had the Suns won with a chance to tie Brooklyn.

 

[sunsfan88]

And he's played a pivotal role in most of our last 40 losses too.

I don't like Tucker but I don't think the Suns would have won if he hadn't played in those 40 games or something. It not like we have some stud behind Tucker especially with Warren out for the season.

 

[FArting]

Got back from the game

Had a fun time at the game

 

[AzStevenCal]

I don't like Tucker but I don't think the Suns would have won if he hadn't played in those 40 games or something. It not like we have some stud behind Tucker especially with Warren out for the season.

Even with Warren healthy we didn't have a stud behind him but Tucker was a negative far more often than not. I don't think playing him made us a good team but I doubt that benching him would have made us appreciably worse most nights.

 

[slinslin]

Tucker was horrible for the first 60 or so games of the season. He played well lately.

 

[Hoop Head]

It's a real shame in a tanking season where the youngsters got more playing time than they could handle that Warren got hurt. It would have been really nice to know what we had in him going into next season. Whether he'd be a good starter or backup, knowing what tier of player we need to add in FA.

Although had he been healthy and playing heavy minutes I don't think we would have finished 4th worst. I think we probably would have finished with a few extra wins, probably putting us around Minnesota, New York, Milwaukee, and New Orleans with around 30 wins.

 

[AzStevenCal]

It's a real shame in a tanking season where the youngsters got more playing time than they could handle that Warren got hurt. It would have been really nice to know what we had in him going into next season. Whether he'd be a good starter or backup, knowing what tier of player we need to add in FA.

Although had he been healthy and playing heavy minutes I don't think we would have finished 4th worst. I think we probably would have finished with a few extra wins, probably putting us around Minnesota, New York, Milwaukee, and New Orleans with around 30 wins.

I agree, it's my biggest disappointment from this season. Sure, it would have been nice to make the playoffs but we weren't going anywhere even if things went great for us. Developing Booker (and Len to a lesser extent) has been huge for us and will pay dividends in the future, it's too bad we can't say the say thing for TJ.

 

[Chaplin]

I was also at the game. Not a great game by any means, especially after the team that the Clippers put on the floor. YUCK

Anyway, my 10-year-old stepdaughter is now a big Suns fan--favorite player is Devin Booker (of course). There was a big merch sale at the arena also, but I only was able to score a Booker jersey for my 5-month old.

As for the game itself, it was not that entertaining, but it was cool seeing Jon Leuer and Alan Williams go off.

 

[Mainstreet]

I was also at the game. Not a great game by any means, especially after the team that the Clippers put on the floor. YUCK

Anyway, my 10-year-old stepdaughter is now a big Suns fan--favorite player is Devin Booker (of course). There was a big merch sale at the arena also, but I only was able to score a Booker jersey for my 5-month old.

As for the game itself, it was not that entertaining, but it was cool seeing Jon Leuer and Alan Williams go off.

I'm glad FArting and you had a good time at the game. Your stepdaughter has good taste. Also, I'm glad you were able to score some merchandise.

As it turned out I had to miss much of the game. I'm interested in your opinion of Alan Williams... whether you think he has NBA talent. In previous games I've watched, Alan Williams never seemed to be particularly mobile. He had some good stats as you point out so I'm wondering if he flashed some talent against the Clippers.

 

[Errntknght]

It was great to see Alan Williams get a little burn. He hurt his rebounding average a tiny bit with only 12 in 22 minutes - thats 19.6/36min and before he was at 20.3/36! Needless to say, I hope they keep him around. He moves well for his size - 6'8 & 260 lb and has a fair-to-middling touch around the basket. He uses his size effectively, too - I guess his rebounding testifies to that. His stroke at the FT line looked decent to me, so he may be able to shoot out to 15 feet. I suppose the consensus will be that he's a traditional C and hence a waste of roster space...

IIRC, Eddie said last night he's a four year player from UC, Santa Barbara and went undrafted. He was born in PHoenix but Ed didn't mention him going to HS here.

 

[Chaplin]

Alan Williams is a good 10-12th man on a good team--he had some great blocks and was a rebounding monster. I liked him a lot, but make no mistake, he'll never be a difference maker. But he could be a Pat Burke with talent if given the opportunity.

 

[AzStevenCal]

It was great to see Alan Williams get a little burn. He hurt his rebounding average a tiny bit with only 12 in 22 minutes - thats 19.6/36min and before he was at 20.3/36! Needless to say, I hope they keep him around. He moves well for his size - 6'8 & 260 lb and has a fair-to-middling touch around the basket. He uses his size effectively, too - I guess his rebounding testifies to that. His stroke at the FT line looked decent to me, so he may be able to shoot out to 15 feet. I suppose the consensus will be that he's a traditional C and hence a waste of roster space...

IIRC, Eddie said last night he's a four year player from UC, Santa Barbara and went undrafted. He was born in PHoenix but Ed didn't mention him going to HS here.

Even in today's game I think you need a couple of traditional style big men. I don't think you can build around them as easily as you used to but there's still a place for bigs especially if they can score with their back to the basket, rebound in traffic and defend the rim or at least 2 of those things. I'm not sure about Williams, he looked slow getting off the ground to me but I haven't seen enough of him to pass judgement. It will probably be another day or two before NBA League Pass will let me watch the Clippers game so I've seen very little of him.